Inspector's Field Manual - Gani

Inspector's Field Manual
Local ports tend to have patterns for the types of documents encountered which are most likely to be fraudulent.
Birth and baptismal certificates, which have no national standards, are the most commonly counterfeited,
altered, or improperly issued documents. Familiarize yourself with security checkpoints of documents
regularly presented at your port-of-entry.
(b) Counterfeit or altered document. Alteration of documents occurs in several ways: changing data on a valid
document to fit the description of the alien applicant, photo substitution, and page substitution are the most
common. Counterfeiting of birth records and other similar documents is also commonplace, counterfeiting of
entire passports happens less frequently. Some attempts are excellent, others fairly crude. Always examine
documents with laminated photos, such as border crossing cards, outside any case or holder so you can feel any
relamination. This is a good practice, even at land border primary locations. Familiarity with document alerts
and passport studies provided by the Intelligence Division will also make detection of this type of fraudulent
document easier. Following are tips for passport examination.
- Examination of a passport begins with the cover. Look for the quality and clarity of printing, color,
thickness and even spelling. Check the shape and cut of corners.
- Next inspect the inside pages for known watermarks and background printing, as well as any other
known security checkpoints. Again, examine spelling and print quality. Check the alignment of pages and the
shape and cut of corners. Perforations should generally be sharp, distinct and evenly aligned.
- Review the data page or pages of the document. Handwritten entries should be made with the same
color ink, without overwritten or blotched entries. Typed entries should all be with the same typeface and
consistency of ink.
- Examine the photo page for signs of double lamination, cuts in the lamination, excessive glue, or
wrinkling. Inspect wet or dry seals overlapping the photo. Seals should be aligned and distinct. The seal
impression on the reverse side of the page should match that of the front.
- Examine the page immediately opposite the photo page for grommet or staple indentations. Such
indentations should match the grommet or staple attaching the photo.
- Examine the binding for jagged or enlarged stitching holes. Stitching should be evenly spaced.
(c) Genuine document presented by imposter. Careful questioning of an applicant regarding the nature of the
visit and the particulars of how the visa was obtained, and close scrutiny of the photo and biographic data on
the travel document will assist you in determining if the bearer is the rightful holder of the passport or visa.
Immigration officers have delegated authority, pursuant to 22 CFR 41.122(h) to cancel genuinely issued visas
which have been removed from the original travel document or which are presented by other than the rightful
holder. Whenever such action is taken, prepare Form I-275 to advise the issuing consulate.
(d) Genuine document obtained by fraud. Among the more difficult tasks you face as an inspector is making a
determination that a passport, visa or, other document issued by competent authority was based on a
fraudulent application or agency error. While it is not possible for you to readjudicate the underlying basis of
eligibility for every document presented, you should be aware of the general requirements for various
immigration benefits and know what relevant questions to ask an applicant for admission when you become
suspicious. As INS automated systems improve, you have at your disposal more information from agency files
upon which to inquire. Access to INS automated systems is discussed in Chapter 31. Your observation of the
applicant's demeanor and his or her responses to simple questions are the best tool for uncovering this type of
fraud.
17.4 False Claims to U.S. Citizenship.
(a) General. You must always be alert to the possibility that an alien may attempt entry by falsely claiming
United States citizenship. The claim may be either an oral claim or one supported by an authentic or fraudulent
document. The best defense against false claims to U.S. citizenship is your own instinct as an inspector. The
most obvious clues in detecting a false claim are nervous actions or reactions on the part of the applicant or
language patterns that don't fit the claim to citizenship. If the response to the question, "Of what country are you